A Festive Audition
by JeanBoulet
Summary: Kurt transfers back to McKinley, and Blaine decides to follow him. But in order to be accepted in New Directions, Blaine must audition, and he chooses quite an interesting duet to sing with Kurt as his audition piece. Klaine


The tension was palpable. The auditorium seemed so small in that moment, but there was nothing no one could do. Blaine took a deep breath to calm himself, but nothing was working. He knew this was a stupid idea, but Kurt had been insisting for three days, ever since they'd both decided to transfer back to McKinley. Well…Kurt had decided to transfer back. Blaine had simply followed him.

He'd never really realized how much the Warblers were suffocating him until Kurt had pointed it out. Kurt had decided to leave, and Blaine couldn't—wouldn't—let him go through the torment of McKinley alone _again_, not again. His parents had been understanding of the matter. Well…his father had been. His mother had taken some convincing, but she'd eventually relented. And according to Kurt, the New Directions glee club was much more accepting of individuality than the Warblers…but that didn't change how unbelievably terrified Blaine was of what he was about to do.

The coach, Mr. Schuester, was willing to accept him into New Directions, but not without an audition. That was why they were all in the auditorium right then: him, Kurt, Mr. Schuester, and the rest of the New Directions glee club.

Kurt probably noticed how much he was fidgeting with his sky-blue turtleneck, because the soprano headed over to him and tucked a lock of unruly hair behind Blaine's ear.

"You'll be great," he said with a smile. "Just relax."

Blaine let his hands drop from his turtleneck, and he craned his neck nervously. "I don't even know what I'm going to sing, Kurt. They're going to laugh."

Kurt gave a little laugh that made Blaine blush ever so slightly. "Blaine, you're wonderful. They're not going to laugh."

"I'm not like you guys, Kurt." He insisted. "I don't know these people. I don't know what will impress them."

"And you say _I_ try too hard!" Kurt gave him another smile and a little sigh. "They're not going to laugh, and they're certainly not going to judge you, seeing as most of them are infinitely inferior to you. So don't worry."

Blaine's brows knit together, and he looked at the floor, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. "Then what should I sing, if you know them so well?"

Kurt thought for a minute, bringing a finger to his lips in the way that made Blaine smile. "Why not just sing 'Hey Soul Sister'? Rachel told me how much everyone loved it when you did it at Sectionals."

"But I had the Warblers to back me up. I had you." Blaine had to smile when this time, it was Kurt's turn to blush.

"Well… Then you'll have me again." Kurt replied matter-of-factly. "Let's do a duet. We could do 'Make 'Em Laugh', the Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire version, or the first part of 'White Christmas' sung by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye… There are plenty of options."

When he heard 'White Christmas' was an option, Blaine had an idea. "So…you wouldn't mind something Christmas-y?"

"Oh, of course not." Kurt said matter-of-factly. "In fact, it might be best. It would show festivity."

The former lead Warbler smiled with a nod. "Then follow the music. You take the first part." With that, he gestured to the stage with a nod of his head and headed that way. Kurt frowned a little, but followed him anyway. He watched as Blaine went to the band at the foot of the stage and muttered something to the band—probably the name of the song—and then the two of them took the stage.

Kurt announced them both to the rest of the glee club, especially focusing on Blaine. He'd already delivered the 'be nice' speech before Blaine arrived, so he didn't need to worry about that. He knew that Mercedes and Tina would be nice, but others might have a problem with someone from another glee club joining New Directions, especially since the Jesse St. James debacle. So in a way, Kurt performing _with_ Blaine would be a good boost to the transfer student's reputation with the glee club.

With that, the band started up on a familiar tune, but Kurt was so surprised that he almost missed his cue.

"I really can't stay –"

"_But baby, it's cold outside"_ Blaine's tenor rang out a few octaves below Kurt's own, making Kurt shiver a little.

"I've got to go away –"

"_But baby, it's cold outside"_  
"This evening has been –

"_Been hoping that you'd drop in"_  
"So very nice –"

"_I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice"_  
"My mother will start to worry –"

"_Beautiful, what's your hurry"_  
"My father will be pacing the floor –"

"_Listen to the fireplace roar"_  
"So really I'd better scurry –"

"_Beautiful, please don't hurry"_  
"Well maybe just a half a drink more –"

"_Put some records on while I pour"_

Kurt quickly got over his initial shock, and he gave a few glares to Blaine over the first verse, which only made the other teen smile. Kurt imagined that Blaine's ego was at an all-time high. Time to bring him down a few notches.

"The neighbors might think –" Kurt took a few steps toward Blaine, making the other teen look at him warily.

"_Baby, it's bad out there"_  
"Say, what's in this drink –"

"_No cabs to be had out there"_  
"I wish I knew how –"

"_Your eyes are like starlight now"_  
"To break this spell –" And then he looked away, playing his part well.

" _I'll take your hat, your hair looks swell"_  
"I ought to say no, no, no, sir –"

"_Mind if I move in closer"_ But it wasn't until Kurt turned back around to face him that he realized that Blaine had, indeed, moved in closer.

"At least I'm gonna say that I tried –"

"_What's the sense in hurting my pride"_  
"I really can't stay - _Baby don't hold out"_  
"Ohh, but it's cold outside!" Their voices mixed well together, Kurt mused, just as he'd imagine they would.

"I simply must go – " Kurt turned away again, fixing his hair as an almost nervous gesture.

"_But baby, it's cold outside"_  
"The answer is no –"

"_But baby, it's cold outside"_ Kurt almost jumped when he felt Blaine's hands on his arms, rubbing them in a comforting gesture.

"This welcome has been –"

"_How lucky that you dropped in"_  
"So nice and warm –"

"_Look out the window at that storm"_  
"My sister will be suspicious –"

"_Gosh, your lips look delicious"_  
"My brother will be there at the door –"

"_Waves upon a tropical shore"_  
"My maiden aunt's mind is vicious –"

"_Ooh your lips are delicious"_ Kurt's breath hitched, and he almost missed his next line. Those were definitely NOT the proper lyrics.

"Well maybe just a cigarette more –" He turned his head to look over his shoulder at Blaine and was met with a smoldering look from those dark eyes.

"_Never such a blizzard before"_

"I've got to get home –" Kurt pulled his eyes from Blaine's and turned so that they were facing each other.

"_But baby, you'll freeze out there"_  
"Say, lend me a comb –" He reached up and smoothed a rebellious area of Blaine's black hair and tucked it so that it wouldn't cover his eyes anymore.

"_It's up to your knees out there"_  
"You've really been grand –"

"_I'm thrilled when you touch my hair"_ Well those weren't the lyrics, either, and Kurt was starting to feel his face burn. He turned abruptly and started to walk away.

"But don't you see –"

"_How can you do this thing to me"_ But he felt a hand on his shoulder that made him stop.

"There's bound to be talk tomorrow –" If the look on Mercedes' face was any indication, there would be talk right after the song finished.

"_Think about a lifelong sorrow"_  
"At least there will be plenty implied –"

"_If you caught pneumonia and died"_  
"I really can't stay –"

"_Get over that hold out"_  
_"Ohh, baby_ –"

"But it's cold outside!"

When they finished the song, the auditorium was completely silent. Blaine was starting to get a little worried, so he let his hand slip from Kurt's shoulder, and he looked away… But then there was a thunderous applause, and Blaine looked up to see the twelve smiling faces making their way down to the stage. The congratulations came from several sources Blaine couldn't possibly identify, and he had several people reaching out for handshakes. And as Mr. Schuester congratulated him as the newest member of the glee club, Blaine saw one of the students—Mercedes, Kurt had said her name was—as well as an Asian girl, approach Kurt and grab him by one arm each, hurriedly leading him off of the stage and into a secluded corner. He heard giggling and excited mumbles, but the girls were blocking Kurt from view.

It turned out not to matter, though, because a very tall teen almost immediately stepped in front of him, blocking the entire group from view. "Hey man," the other teen said, holding out his hand. "Finn Hudson."

All Blaine could manage at first was a lame "oh", but then he shook himself out of his daze and shook Finn's hand with a smile. "You're Kurt's step-brother, right?"

Finn's head teetered, but he nodded. "Yeah, his _brother_, but yeah. Listen, man…" Blaine felt his eyebrows raise when Finn gripped his shoulder and pulled him aside slightly as the rest of the glee club chattered excitedly. "I'm not used to playing the 'protective older brother'…and I might be assuming things, but…I mean, that song was kind of…"

"Suggestive?" Blaine supplied, knowing where this was probably headed.

Finn's brows knitted together and he shook his head. "Well yeah, but…not in a gross way, or anything. Listen, just…" he sighed and gave a shrug. "Look, I just want to say that Kurt's been through a lot. He needs stability, you know? And I mean…we've been through a pretty bad experience with a transfer student—"

"Finn, I'm not going to—"

"No, I know," Finn stopped him, trying to reassure him. "_We_ know. I mean, after that song, we know you care about him. You wouldn't be in if that weren't the case. But still. We look out for our own, and Kurt's a…special case."

Blaine nodded. "Yeah, he's special," he agreed. "And I appreciate how protective you are of him."

A smile took over Finn's face, and he pulled his hand away, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You're going to be good for him." He said, very matter-of-factly, and walked past Blaine, clapping him on the back. "Welcome to the team, Blaine."


End file.
